Method for yielding maximum expression in breastpumping

ABSTRACT

A method of yielding maximum expression in a breastpump provides a pumping cycle that maintains a minimum level of vacuum within a breast shield chamber (baseline vacuum) throughout at least some, if not all, of a pumping session, while operating the breastpump in a milk expression mode with a sequence having a frequency in the range of about 80 to about 100 cycles per minute.

APPLICATION HISTORY

Applicant claims the benefit of prior pending U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/846,689 filed on Sep. 22, 2006, entitled “InfantSucking and the Effect of Respiration and Swallowing: Shapes, Patternsand Vacuum in Depth Including Frequency, Vacuum and Breast Expression.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to breastpumps for drawing breastmilk, andparticularly to a breastpump with a pressure control system to regulatethe pressure as actually applied to the breast within a breast shieldchamber during a pumping cycle, and also to vary that pressure in acycle that maintains a minimum vacuum with an optimum frequency yieldingmaximum expression.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Breastpumps for use by nursing mothers are well known. They allow thenursing woman to express the breastmilk as necessary or convenient, andfurther provide collection of the breastmilk for later use. For somemothers, breastpumps may be a necessity, such as when the child hassuckling problems, or if the mother has problems nursing.

There are three general broad classifications of breastpumps: hand pumpsthat generate suction manually, battery operated pumps with small motorsthat generate suction from power supplied by batteries, and electricpumps in which suction is created by various types of electric motorsthat run off “house” current. Some pumps can cross over these broadclassifications.

Various types of hand pumps exist. An example of such manually-drivenpumps is in U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,677.

A battery-driven portable breastpump is described in U.S. Pat. No.4,964,851, for example. This breastpump is small, lightweight andachieves good vacuum (i.e., negative pressure) regulation in preferredlimits. The LACTINA breastpump sold by Medela, Inc. is also another typeof breastpump, which may be driven by battery as well as house current.It is generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,899.

All of these breastpumps are designed to cycle pressure, typically anegative pressure or vacuum, that is applied to the breast and nipplewithin the breast shield.

The prior art does not regulate vacuum at the breast shield to reach amaximum negative pressure, and then a desired minimum negative pressurestill less than ambient, without the need to return to atmosphericpressure for successful milk expression. Yet a return to ambientpressure within the breast shield chamber may not be required, andbenefits may be achieved by maintaining a minimum level of vacuum on thebreast throughout at least a portion of the pumping session. Such wouldinclude, for example, reducing the amount of energy required tothereafter reach maximum vacuum. The “elastic rebound” of the nippleupon release of vacuum would also be minimized. This provides comfort tothe nursing mother. A breakthrough in providing a baseline vacuum forbreastpumping is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/786,364, filed on Apr. 11, 2007.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a methodof yielding maximum milk expression in a breastpump, either manual ormotorized, that maintains a minimum level of vacuum within a breastshield chamber throughout at least some, if not all, of a pumpingsession, while operating the breastpump at frequencies in a range ofabout 80 to about 100 cycles per minute.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A breastpump providing a pumping cycle that maintains a minimum level ofvacuum (otherwise referred to as a baseline vacuum) within a breastshield chamber throughout at least some, if not all, of a pumpingsession is disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/786,364 filed on Apr. 11, 2007, which is incorporated herein byreference. A minimum baseline vacuum used herein would be in the rangeof about −20 mmHg to about −60 mmHg.

With such a pump having a baseline vacuum, it has been found thatmaximum expression of milk is achieved while operating at frequencies inthe range of about 80 to about 100 cycles per minute, and particularlyin the range of 81 to 99 cycles per minute. The peak or maximum negativepressure used during the milk expression session was conventional, i.e.,in the upper range of about −150 mmHg to about −250 mmHg. A peakpressure of about −200 mmHg was most preferred. The resulting excellentexpression of milk was not expected, and it is believed that theidentification of this frequency range was hitherto unknown to yieldsuch improved milk expression results.

A further beneficial effect is considered to be accomplished through theuse of some kind of oscillation or vibration of the nipple, again inconjunction with the nipple restraint. This could be a mechanicalelement run off of the electrical source (used to power the vacuumsource), which essentially rapidly “thumps” or drums the exterior of thecollar or nipple tunnel. Such a mechanical element could be a motor withan eccentric, such as done in cell phones. It could also be an airvibration (acoustical) superimposed on the air within the breastpumpassembly. Such an acoustical means could be generated by smalloscillations of the vacuum mechanism.

Thus, while the invention has been described herein with relation to acertain embodiment and application, those with skill in this art willrecognize changes, modifications, alterations and the like which stillcome within the spirit of the inventive concept, and such are intendedto be included within the scope of the invention as expressed in thefollowing claims.

1. An improved method for operating a breastpump for the expression ofmother's milk, wherein the improvement comprises operating a breastpumpassembly during at least some of a pumping session and with a baselinevacuum, while using an expression sequence having a conventional maximumnegative pressure at a frequency in the range of about 80 to about 100cycles per minute, to thereby achieve maximum expression.
 2. Theimproved method for operating a breastpump of claim 1 wherein said rangeis 81 to 99 cycles per minute.
 3. The improved method for operating abreastpump of claim 1 wherein the minimum vacuum level is within a rangeof about −20 mmHg to about −60 mmHg, and said conventional maximumnegative pressure is in the range of about −150 mmHg to about −250 mmHg.4. The improved method for operating a breastpump of claim 3 whereinsaid maximum negative pressure is about −200 mmHg.